Abstract
With the ever-expanding electricity usage of mankind, we lean further towards green reusable energy sources such as hydro, solar, and wind power. Another less known method of generating reusable energy is harnessing the immense potential of our oceans. Under the sea lie strong currents flowing endlessly and on the surface powerful waves swoop across the sea with immense forces. Few power companies around the world have already begun to explore the potential of the sea for large-scale power plants but the opportunities do not end there. These oceanic forces can also be used for smaller-scale projects and could prove extremely valuable for projects based on smaller electronics. Sea buoys are used for all manner of oceanic research and often use low-powered electronics to achieve their tasks. This thesis focuses on the creation of a self-sustaining power supply for such a buoy and looks into the viability of such a device. Different methods of power generation are explored ranging from undersea currents to oceanic waves and all aspects of the design are looked into in detail. The outcome should yield a self-sustaining power system for an oceanic device that could be left out at sea for long periods without having to worry about its internal battery running out. With fine-tuning of parts for the device and the correct design parameters, it will be shown how this is viable and how it can be used for future low-powered projects stationed at sea.